Where's Nick in the New Jack City.

All you could dream about listening to at once. 

Golden Hands and goodbyes

I saw this today - and the nervous and the sick started to surface. It could be also due to an appalling apple crumble I ate yesterday - it tasted like cleaner. More to the subject, this is the flyer for 'Golden Hands' - a group show featuring the work of Chloe Bonfield, Millie Easton and Jennifer Matignas Pitchers and myself- June 12th -July 5th of this year, the private view begin on the first day 7 - 11pm, so if you're in LA/Orange Country please come along! Hopefully my work will get there, I sent it on Friday via Post Office and it should arrive at the gallery this week. 

This week can be only described as a 'transition' week - I stood at work thinking about how bored I am, and lucky to have an internship which allows me to have a brief break in the working world where I'm not secretly looking at the door and considering running out. I received an email, which was eventually leaked onto the internet that Plan B's next issue in June will be the last. 

I started reading Plan B a few years ago, after browsing the shelves in Borders, during my lunch break in my office job which I hated, despite having one of the nicest bosses you could hope for. The magazine is beautifully designed and written and published articles and interviews with artists I hadn't heard about and I should know. I had previously been a dissatisfied NME reader, buying it on occasion and not really seeing anything new of interest, mostly 'indie landfill', and a one track observation on music. I gave up on it, who really wants to read about Pete Doherty? My sister added this week that Plan B had a nice smell to it and that the NME had the aroma of period...nice.

Plan B magazine was the biscuit selection box of magazines in the music publishing world, showcasing black and white, male and female, dark and light and it will be sadly missed.

'Two for Joy'

New zine to accompany embroideries for Hibbleton Gallery show. I have made up a few so message me if you'd like one - £1.50. 

finished!

Wear polkas at midnight for prosperity and there is a Russian superstition, never give the gift of a purse without money in. 

I've nearly finished my work for LA, seven embroideries (the main bit - 'the' bit you could even say) - literally need to finish off the edges. And then put together the zine.

Anyways - I'm a bit depressed - almost like I've caught it in a flu like way (gladly, I haven't contracted swine flu as I convinced myself two weeks ago). I watched 'Sparkhouse' last night and this morning, a modern take on Wuthering Heights from 2002, the female Carol takes on the Heathcliff role. It was difficult to watch in some bits, and the dread slowing grows on you as events unfold. Really good though, romantic and tragic. It has put me in a thoughtful mood...

Amsterdam

So, I went to Amsterdam, and now I'm back. Highlights included seeing a complete psycho in his aqua-blue rickshaw with a huge framed mirror as a back window blasting Lionel Ritchie's 'All Night Long' as he shouted abuse at someone and a canal boat driver who looked like Elvis and had a Elvis with a mike on the dashboard of his boat. Amsterdam is very beautiful - but most things close to Central Station are a bit grotty and touristy. I think the last day there was the best day overall, explored some less obvious places to go, such as the flea market at Waterlooplein, visited Cafe t'Smalle, a little tapas place and Studio 80's psytrance night.

I did feel like the walls were closing in, so if you want to sample the delights of certain menus, I'd advised not doing so on the first day of your trip, four hours after landing, no sleep for over 24 hours because you will indefinitely freak out and have a panic attack like I did (managed to keep it quiet).

Back to work I suppose, almost done the embroideries, finished one of the last ones today. Need to find a wristwatch that is broken and get the watch bit. 

London Zine Symposium

The London Zine Symposium took place yesterday at The Rag Factory close to Brick Lane. I got there about 4pm and it was crazy, zinesters looking about. It was a traumatic start, with what I thought was a small child trying to get under my skirt. Instead it was a dog. Still quite bad - imagine if the dog had bit me?!

Anyways - lots of good things - and a vast improvement on the Alternative Press fair. The lovely ladies from Shebang and Lazy Soosan were there, as well the usual suspects. Also picked up a patch from Lizz Lunney's stall. I don't know if it is because I am more aware of it, but it seems like the D.I.Y culture of self-made press is flourishing at the moment, there's a lot of good quality zines, produced by girls and boys alike. I picked up a great zine from the active distribution stall - the one at the top, of revolutionary women stencils - which I love, profiling women who fought for social justice.

There was also a zine called 'Woody' I really wanted - if anyone out there who knows where I can get it, let me know (I didn't really have any money on me...). It was about meeting Woody Allen.

Off to Amsterdam on Wednesday morning bright and early. I'd advise anyone in a creative slump to embark on a relationship which gives you pain for years, as it really pushes you to do things!